Across rural New South Wales, pubs and clubs aren’t just places to grab a meal or catch up with friends—they are major employers and community hubs. These venues keep local economies moving by providing work for bar staff, wait staff, kitchen teams, cleaners, maintenance workers, and countless others. When policies threaten these businesses, it’s not just the venues that suffer; it’s rural jobs and community stability.

What’s frustrating is that NSW Labor seems more focused on targeting pubs and clubs than helping families deal with soaring living costs. Instead of addressing electricity bills, grocery prices, rents, and fuel costs—issues that are genuinely hurting households—Labor is preoccupied with how venues operate and how community grants are funded.

And here’s the part that is often forgotten: the grants program supported by poker machine revenue has delivered enormous benefits to local communities. Sporting clubs, local events, charity initiatives, infrastructure upgrades, and essential community services have been funded through these programs for years. These aren’t abstract ideals—they’re real, tangible improvements that regional towns rely on.

If the government redirects its energy toward micromanaging pubs and clubs, the fallout will be felt hardest in rural communities where these venues serve as economic and social lifelines.

NSW Labor should be prioritising the real challenges facing the state—reducing the cost of living and easing pressure on families and businesses—instead of undermining the very venues that support local jobs and fund vital community grants.